Support Nigeria to confront child-soldiers in conflict areas, Osinbajo tells AU

• Signs Diaspora Commission, Petroleum Training Institute bills
• FG opposes bail for alleged gunrunners

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has called on the African Union (AU) member states to support Nigeria’s effort to strengthen the engagement in confronting the menace of child soldiers and millions of out-of-school children in armed conflict areas.

Osinbajo made the call yesterday at the ongoing African Union summit in Addis Ababa where he led the discussion on peace and security as the Chairman of the AU’s Peace and Security Council, a continental equivalent of the UN’s Security Council.

“We have no choice, peace, security and stability are fundamental to the realization of sustainable development and to assure our peoples of decent and happy lives.

“As we move towards silencing the guns by 2020, our collective resolve must remain solid and steadfast to effectively tackle conflicts, terrorism, violent extremism and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, “we need to rekindle our political will and determination not to bequeath to the next generation of Africans the burden of wars, poverty and misery. It is therefore necessary for the Assembly to reaffirm the overriding importance of holistically addressing the root causes of violent conflicts in our countries.”

As a first step, Osinbajo said, the body must ensure the full implementation of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), especially the operationalization of the African Stand-by Force (ASF) and Peace Fund.

While calling on the international communities including the UN to continue to reinforce their support for Africa Peace and security agenda such as the complementarity ‎between Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Nigerian leader thanked the AU member states, regional economic communities and the regional mechanisms for conflict prevention, management and resolution, as well as the United Nations among others for the support rendered to the peace and security council.

Also, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has signed into law the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (Establishment) Act, 2017 and the Petroleum Training Institute (amendment) Act 2017.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters, Senator Ita Enang, disclosed this while briefing newsmen yesterday in Abuja.

The diaspora commission act established the commission under the supervisory jurisdiction of the ministry of foreign affairs. The commission, Enang said, has the responsibility to co-ordinate and organize Nigerians in and from the diaspora to contribute human capital and material resources and, their expertise for the development of the country and its constituent states.

Also, the petroleum training Institute (amendment) act would bring the provisions thereof in compliance with the constitution, which will permit for due process in the administrative action affecting the principal officers and staff of the institute.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government yesterday prayed the Federal High Court, Lagos not to release a five-man gang who allegedly imported 661 pump-action rifles into the country unlawfully.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) through an officer of his department, K.A. Fagbemi, made the plea while opposing the bail applications filed by the accused.
He told the court that it would not be healthy for them to be released into the society on bail.

The accused, Mahmud Hassan, Oscar Okafor, Donatus Achinulo, Matthew Okoye, said to be at large and Salihu Danjuma had been arraigned by the AGF on June 14 for allegedly importing 661 pump-action rifles into the country without lawful authority.

They were arraigned on eight counts before Justice Ayokunle Faji, who ordered that they should be remanded in the prison custody after they had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Fagbemi, who noted that one of the five accused persons was still at large, argued further that it was not even healthy for the court to release the other four on bail as their lives might be at risk.

After entertaining arguments from the counsel, Justice Faji adjourned till July 6, 2017 for ruling.